Antonina Mashenko Member of the underground organization 'Young Guard'. Date of Birth: 31.01.1927 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Antonina Mashchenko

Antonina Mashchenko was born on January 31, 1927, in the village of Belovodske in the Voroshilovgrad region, in a family of civil servants. She attended Belovodska Middle School No. 1, where she excelled academically and was regularly awarded Commendation Certificates. Even in school, she displayed her organizational abilities by gathering children during breaks and organizing interesting games for them. She was also talented in playing the guitar, singing, dancing, and participating in sports. Antonina had a love for embroidery, and a cushion with embroidered chamomiles and cornflowers is exhibited in the "Young Guard" museum. Her family moved to Krasnodon in 1940.

In March 1942, Antonina Mashchenko joined the ranks of the Leninist Komsomol. During the summer, she traveled to the Belovodskiy district with other school students from Krasnodon to help with the harvest. There, she had a touching reunion with her first teacher, E.T. Rusalova, who described Antonina as a lively and active girl who had grown a bit taller. The money earned from the harvest was donated to the country's defense fund by Antonina and her fellow schoolmates.

When the underground Komsomol organization "Young Guard" was created, Antonina Mashchenko became one of its active participants, joining Sergey Tyulenin's group. She and her comrades conducted agitation activities among the population, supplied them with literature, and distributed leaflets. A leaflet written by Antonina herself, containing news from the Soviet Information Bureau about the advance of Soviet troops near Stalingrad, is preserved in the museum.

In the early days of January 1943, Antonina Mashchenko was arrested. According to Maria Andreevna Borz, who was imprisoned with the members of "Young Guard," including Antonina, they were placed in a small, damp, dirty, and foul-smelling cell. Despite the harsh conditions, Antonina showed great courage and resilience. On January 16, she and her comrades were thrown into a mine shaft. Antonina was buried in a mass grave of heroes in the central square of Krasnodon.

Antonina Mikhailovna Mashchenko was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class, and the Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War," 1st Class.